Help! I need advice choosing a program...

[Jan in SC]

My ds, almost 8, is reading at a late 2nd grade / early 3rd grade level. He is becoming more fluent, but does guess at a lot of the words. He was dx with a writing and spelling ld. (Whether or not this is accurate, he is terrible in both subjects!)

 

Many have recommended a specific reading/spelling/writing system (Barton). I'm trying to decide whether or not to use it. The program requires that he stop reading ANYTHING other than the system and its specific books. This gives me great pause, but I want to correct problems now rather than when he is older.

 

Another option would be to start at the beginning with OPGTR and use something like All About Spelling, and hope the writing problem really is lack of continuity (in writing) this year.

 

Anyone with similar experience out there???

 

Any other programs you recommend would be great!!

 

Thanks!

[asher]

No suggestions, but I thought I'd give you a bump :)

[Sandra in FL]

ladies there are very helpful and knowledgeable.

 

HTH,

Sandra

[St. Theophan Academy]

I don't know anything about Barton, so no help there. I do know that the way that spelling and writing are taught with SWR is supposed to reduce issues in dx and other ld.

[TracyR]

Hmm. Have you looked into Sequential Spelling ? I've heard this is a good spelling program and is used with children that have learning difficulties . And maybe use Handwriting Without Tears to practice handwriting along with lots of copywork .

That would be what I would do :>)

[LlamaMama]

If you decide to go with OPGTR, you wouldn't need to start at the beginning. It is also possible to condense the lessons and do more than one a day. Jessi Wise has a chapter in the book that describes using it with an older child. It is a bare-bones phonics instructions, so I agree with you that it would be good to pair it with a spelling program.

[Jen in DE]

We were trying to decide about Barton when a wonderful woman posted her experiences with sequential spelling (about $12 per book). If you take the time and do it exactly as it says, it works. My daughter has improved not only her spelling, but her reading! Another friend of ours spends quite a bit of time doing Barton. I spend 10 minutes a day. Our children are both progressing, but mine is progressing faster, and with less time and money on my part. I think it's worth a shot!

[SusanG]

My almost-9 year old just started Sequential Spelling, and so far it's going great. It takes 10 to 15 minutes a day, and I can already tell that he's getting something out of it. It's inexpensive and the easiest spelling program from the teacher/parent's point of view. Just read the words, correct as you go, and you're done.

[Another Lynn]

I don't have any experience working with LD, so take this with a grain of salt. I seriously doubt my son (currently 9 1/2) would have tested that high in reading level at age 8 - but I don't know for sure because I didn't have him tested. I just knew we were still stuck in "readers" when others were moving on to chapter books. Just a few months into 2nd grade year (he had just turned 8) I discovered Spell to Write and Read. That spring I saw a real improvement in his reading. The following fall I began using McCall Crabbs to track his reading level. This year (his 3rd grade year) he went from ~2.7 (2nd grade, 7 months) to ~5.6 (5th grade, 6 mos). He read things this year like COFA biographies, Sign of the Beaver, The Chronicles of Narnia - all of them, and some days he got "in trouble" for reading instead of doing other school work :).

 

I recommend SWR a bit hesitantly because it is parent intensive and does take awhile to feel comfortable teaching. But, fwiw, it really made a difference for us here.

[Guest]

All About Spelling is very similar to SWR and a LOT less expensive. Works wonders here. My guys are great readers but horrible spellers. This program is the first to lay out the rules clearly.

Check out her site at: http://www.allaboutspelling.com

 

My other suggestions is OPGTR or Phonics Pathways. I like OPGTR better but haven't used it yet. My 4 yr old isn't ready. I do wish the student pages were separate from the teacher pages, though.

[Kathie in VA]

I hesitate to post this idea because I haven't used it but ...

Have you hear about the Victory Drill book? It's a book I considered awhile back when my dd was having problems. We ended up just getting the phonogram cards to SWR and memorizing them... she really hated the idea of that program so we went with How to Spell / How to Teach Spelling. But the Victory Drill book is basically a phonics book that goes over how to read and then practices and practices. I think they repeat a page till they can read it within a certain amount of time.